Mizzou basketball Rallies for Rhyan in overtime to beat Mississippi State

Seven-year old Rhyan Loos, daughter of Mizzou’s Brad Loos, walked out onto Mizzou Arena with a golden head band to hold up hair that had not been there in years past.

Rhyan has become an inspiration to Mizzou for her fight through neuroblastoma, a cancer that starts in early forms of nerve cells. She beamed at half court as her father thanked the Mizzou crowd, Cuonzo Martin and the rest of the Mizzou basketball team for putting on the third annual Rally for Rhyan game to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer.

After winning the first two Rally for Rhyan games, Kevin Puryear paid the Loos family back by hitting the biggest shot of his career as Mizzou knocked off Mississippi State 89-85 in overtime.

With the win Mizzou improves to 17-8 (7-5 SEC).

Mizzou led by 12 with 1:27 left in the game. Two minutes of game time later, the Tigers trailed by five in overtime. Kevin Puryear shot just 25 percent from three on the season, but with the game on the line, he sunk the biggest shot of his career.

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Five Tigers finished in double figures as Kassius Robertson had a game-high 22 points and five rebounds. Jordan Geist had 17 points while Jordan Barnett had 15 points. Kevin Puryear had 13 points and five rebounds.

Jontay Porter finished with 10 points as Mizzou is now 12-0 in games when Porter is in double figures.

The Tigers shot 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from three. Mizzou’s defense struggled in the first half against the three, but the Tigers’ perimeter defense improved by holding the Bulldogs to 20 percent from three in the second half.

The Mizzou basketball team met with the media immediately following the big win:

Going into the game, Mississippi State ranked last in the SEC in three-point percentage at 28.9 percent. However, the Bulldogs jumped out to an early 9-5 lead off a trio of threes.

Jordan Barnett helped end the run with a four-point play by getting fould and making a three. The basket and free throw tied the game back up at nine.

The Tigers shot 58 percent from the field and 54 percent from three in the first half.

In the second half, Porter and Tilmon each picked up their third fouls in the opening minute. The Bulldogs battled back to cut the deficit to 47-46 with 14:13 left in the half.

However, Mizzou went on an 8-1 run over the next two minutes to extend its lead.

Mississippi State battled back in the final minute going on a 12-0 run as Lamar Peters hit a three to tie the game with 16.5 seconds remaining. The Tigers led by 12 with 1:27 remaining in regulation.

Out of the timeout, Mizzou did not get the look it wanted as Geist threw up a contested three that did not fall sending the game to overtime.

Overtime was much of the same to start as Mississippi State jumped out to a five-point lead. The Tigers battled back to cut the game back to 84-82 with 1:23 left. The Tigers tied the game on the following possession as Puryear tipped in a missed three by Robertson.

In the final minute, Mississippi State held a one-point lead. Puryear made his only three of the game when it counted as the Tigers took a two-point lead with six seconds remaining putting Mizzou ahead for good.

Mizzou next faces Texas A&M at home Tuesday at 6 p.m.